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Epilogue

Twenty-One Months Later

It was a madhouse of relatives, friends, and toddlers as their daughters celebrated their first birthdays. Sera and Julie had delivered a day apart, but they had shared a due date. Jordan and Lola had almost shared a birthday, and they had made a joke that their next children would accomplish that goal. Since it was shortly after witnessing the graphic miracle of childbirth, their husbands had looked a little pale at the thought of having more already, and the two women had shared a laugh at their expense.

Now, they shared a hug as they watched their daughters experimenting with their first tastes of chocolate cake from their small birthday cakes in front of them. Their actual birthdays had been one and two days ago, with Julie’s little girl turning one first, but it had been natural to combine the parties, since they shared so much else.

“They’re getting so big,” said Sera, eyeing Jordan, who had Jack and Julie’s brown eyes.

“They sure are. It really